Apple and Google won’t face a trial for no-poaching agreement — for now

Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG) and five other technology companies have been accused of illegally agreeing to not poach each other’s employees. A class action lawsuit was filed last year after five software engineers claimed the companies, which also included Intel (INTC), Adobe (ADBE), Pixar, Intuit (INTU) and Lucasfilm, conspired to reduce employee pay by eliminating competition for skilled labor. District Judge Lucy Koh previously rejected the companies’ bid to dismiss the claims brought against them, however the judge seems to have changed her mind. Koh said on Friday that the five software engineers who brought the case against the companies have not yet shown enough evidence against the defendants to allow for a class action lawsuit, Reuters reported. The case will no longer go to trial unless the plaintiffs can gather new evidence, although they will still be able to sue individually.